Shaking Up our Mindsets about Indigenous Students with Surin McGrory

In this episode, we’re challenging the deficit mindsets that often prevail about Indigenous students. We’re painting quite a different picture instead.

Show Guest – Surin McGrory

I’m a teacher with a whole lot of heart. Relationships are a huge part of my teaching practice and I am blessed to work with an absolutely fantastic bunch of students and staff teaching English in a unique full immersion Māori school.

I’m young, both to teaching and life. I like to take advantage of my youth, using it to take risks and be flexible in my teaching practice.

I’m driving a way for change and improvement, firstly for myself, but also for my students, colleagues, and ultimately the teaching profession.

I’ve got practically EVERYTHING to learn still but I like to use my experiences, things I’m trialling, mistakes I’m making, to help shape 21st Century learning. I’m a mistake maker and boat shaker.

Episode Summary

They’re at the top of all the wrong lists and bottom of all the right lists. Or so our guest thought until she actually started teaching Māori students in a total immersion Māori School in New Zealand.

This episode we’re challenging the deficit or victim mindsets that often prevail about Indigenous Students. We’re painting quite a different picture instead.

About The Author

Dr Greg Curran is a primary teacher, specialising in EAL & digital literacy teaching along with social justice & equity in education. Greg has extensive experience as a lecturer in teacher education, in the fields of literacy, health promotion, gender & sexual diversity, TESOL Methods, and E-Learning. He hosts and produces the education podcast, Pushing The Edge with Greg Curran, and blogs on this website.